What is guerrilla marketing?
Guerrilla marketing is a marketing tactic that uses novel or unconventional methods to boost sales and attract interest in a brand or business. These methods are cheap or cost nothing at all, and they rely heavily on personal interaction or viral social media messaging. This marketing method has grown in popularity with the rise of ubiquitous mobile and connected technologies that can amplify messaging and focus on target groups of consumers. Companies that use guerrilla marketing rely on its face-to-face presentation to spread virally or by word of mouth, and thus reach a wider audience for free. Connecting with the consumer's emotions is the key to guerrilla marketing. The use of this tactic is not intended for all types of goods and services, and it is often used to target younger consumers, who are more likely to respond positively to more unusual products.
Where is guerrilla marketing carried out?
Guerrilla marketing is carried out in public places that offer as large an audience as possible — streets, concerts, public parks, sporting events, festivals, beaches and shopping centres. One of the key elements of guerrilla marketing is choosing the right time and place to run the campaign in order to avoid potential legal problems. Guerrilla marketing can be indoor, outdoor, an “event ambush” or experiential, which means drawing the public into interaction with a brand.
The advantages of guerrilla marketing:
Management often turns to “guerrilla” marketing because it is usually a budget-friendly option. Rather than requiring investment, guerrilla marketing often costs less than other marketing campaigns. Startups, local businesses or companies with fewer corporate constraints frequently apply guerrilla marketing methods, because this approach also allows for greater creativity.
The drawbacks of guerrilla marketing:
Guerrilla marketing strategies are usually less structured, and for this reason guerrilla marketing attempts are often less successful and carry a higher risk of failure. Because there is less structure, recipients of the marketing content may not receive a consistent message, or may misunderstand the messaging. For some, “guerrilla” marketing is a negative marketing concept. Some may prefer not to accept such marketing. As a result, some consumers are at risk of being negatively affected by “guerrilla” marketing methods. Perhaps the greatest drawback of guerrilla marketing is its unpredictability. Because there is less structure, marketers will not be able to gather the metrics needed to measure whether the campaign was successful. It may also use unconventional guerrilla methods that the company is not sure will succeed.
If this topic matters for your business, take a look at NS Studio’s SMM and branding and logo design services, and continue with “What is Viral Marketing? What Are the Features of Viral Content?”.
